The MNB (Hungarian National Bank) no longer considers it necessary to maintain the dividend payment limit for insurers. However, the dividend size must consider the Bank's recommendation to maintain the 50% volatility capital buffer, as well as the impact of the changing yield environment on capital, the MNB said in its recent statement, portfolio.hu reports.

According to Konstantin VELEV, chairman of ABZ (Association of Bulgarian Insurers), "a gradual increase in MTPL prices has been observed since the mid-2021 - by about 10% compared to the beginning of last year", ABZ announced on its website.

The Montenegrin market reported a 5.5% y-o-y growth in FY2021 GWP, to EUR 99 million, according to the preliminary figures published on the ISA's website.

At the end of 2021, the insurance sector of Kyrgyzstan changed growth to decline (if compared to 3Q2021) and recorded a drop by 5.46% to KGS 1.26 billion (EUR 13.17 million).

At the end of 2021, the insurance sector of Kazakhstan recorded an increase of 43.42% y-o-y, to KZT 814.81 billion (EUR 1.67 billion). At the same time, insurers' paid claims fell by almost 13% to KZT 130.60 billion (EUR 267.75 million), according to data published by the National Bank.

According to the National Association of Agriculture Insurers (NAAI), in 2021, the market of subsidized agroinsurance again saw positive dynamics: GWP increased to RUB 7.7 billion (EUR 91.59 million*), of which RUB 5.5 billion came from insurance of crop risks, RUB 2.2 billion - from livestock insurance, and RUB 0.1 billion rubles - from insurance of commercial aquaculture, according to NAAI.

Last week, the Italian insurer Generali informed its Board of Directors (BoD) approved changes to the membership of the Board Committees.

The number of insurance frauds increased during 2021, according to the figures published by the Czech Insurance Association (CAP). The professional association of Czech insurers informed that during last year, it inspected a total of 11,407 suspected claim files, up by 18% y-o-y, the aggregate value of detected fraud totaling CZK 1.25 billion - or ~EUR 50 million (up by CZK 17 million or by 1% y-o-y). The average amount of detected fraud / claim file reached CZK 249 thousand (vs CZK 288 thousand in 2020).

The professional association of Czech insurers announced in a statement that starting February 2022, Veronika PAVLISOVA is the new Spokesperson of CAP (Czech Insurance Association), replacing Veronika NOVA.

Cegeka, a Belgian-based IT&C solutions provider with a strong portfolio of products oriented towards the financial institutions' needs, announces the third edition of Cegeka Academy, an educational program designed for students in their final years or master's degrees at technical faculties in Bucharest.

According to preliminary data provided by the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF), the Romanian insurance market saw, in 2021, a 24% y-o-y GWP growth, to approx. EUR 2.86 billion. Non-life insurance line account for about 74% of the total market GWP.

Dutch insurer Aegon announced that Deborah WATERS will be appointed as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and member of the Management Board of Aegon N.V. effective February 7, 2022 - subject to regulatory approval. Aegon's previous CTO, Mark BLOOM, stepped down on June 1, 2021.

The Hannover Re's net income reached a level of EUR 1.23 billion in 2021, in line with the expected results, the preliminary results announced by the Group show. As previously announced, Hannover Re anticipates a net income of EUR 1.4 billion to EUR 1.5 billion for 2022.

Generali has signed an agreement for the acquisition of La Medicale, an insurance company for healthcare professionals, following the exclusive negotiation with Credit Agricole Assurances, announced last November, and the consultation of the dedicated workers' councils.

Global commercial insurance prices increased 13% in Q4 2021, according to the Global Insurance Market Index released by the insurance broker Marsh, continuing "a trend of moderating rate increases that began in Q1 2021. While this is the 17th consecutive quarter of increases, the rate of increase continues to moderate in many lines of business and in most geographies".

The Banki.ru financial supermarket (one of the Russian main financial portals) and Renaissance Life insurance company (one of the top-10 Russian insurers) have created a tool for personal budget management based on a financial product generator, the company said in its press release.

The FY2021 gross written premiums of the eight Albanian active insurers increased by 16.02% y-o-y to ALL 19.26 billion (EUR 159.55 million), official figures published on the website of Albanian Financial Supervisory Authority (AFSA) showed.

The aggregate GWP of the 15 Croatian insurers rose 11.86% in 2021, to HRK 11.71 billion (EUR 1.55 billion), preliminary Q4 2021 data of the Croatian Insurance Bureau showed. Total gross claims paid increased to HRK 7.29 billion in the review period from HRK 6.53 billion a year earlier.

Euroins Romania's headquarter moved to new premises, in an almost 2,400 sqm office floor located in J8 Office Park in Bucharest. The new office space allows the company the continuation of the recruitment of specialists that will add to the 300 employees of Euroins in Bucharest.

In 2021, MTIBU (Motor Transport Insurance Bureau of Ukraine) made 7.1 thousand payments from the Bureau's Victim Protection Fund for a total of UAH 278.5 million (EUR 9 million*). Compared to 2020, the number of payments increased by 10.3% and the amount - by 29%, according to the Bureau's website.